Is Disney Avoiding Getting Involved in Election Year Politics By Doing Exactly That?
The Walt Disney Company has taken the first shot in what promises to be a major battle in the
coming election year, the corporatization of American politics. Of course, American art has long been subject to the
whim of political and corporate figures, as has politics. However, the increasing overt influence that America's
corporate world has on the political landscape of this country has surpassed Owellian proportions.
Before you ask yourself what in the hell this has to do with indie or doc film, dig this: On Tuesday May 4th it was
announced that Disney was blocking subsidiary distributor Miramax from distributing Michael
Moore's upcoming film, Fahrenheit 911. Now many have criticized Moore's decision to take $6 million
from Miramax to produce the film (see links below) and I agree but won't echo those thoughts. Also, while Moore has
often been criticized for being self-serving, hypocritical or just plain loud, that's really not the point, here. What
is the issue, as I see it, is the increasing influence corporations like Diebold,
Haliburton and now Disney have in the continually merging worlds of art, media and politics.
While Moore's film is art, as a political documentary it may also be called journalism and political activism. By
refusing to release the film, Disney has made a strong political statement, even if they have not yet stated their
reasons for doing so. The end result will likely be that they have given the film a huge boost by taking this stand and
the movie will be released, whether Disney, Jeb Bush, W or 'Poppy'
want it seen or not. I urge all of you to write, call or email Disney and tell them that this is a cowardly move, one
that sets the cause of free speech back decades. To poach a phrase from Paddy Chayefsky, I'm mad as hell and I'm not
going to take this anymore!
Walt Disney Company, Burbank, CA-(818) 560-1000.
I couldn't find an email address, but this ought to do!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-15-2005 @ 5:18AM
Kevin Chavis said...
Disney Comment Line and Email
1-800-72DISNEY
disneyinfo@disneyhelp.com
Miramax Contact
Counsel
Miramax Films Co.
11 Beach Street
New York, NY 10013
(212) 941-4049
Miramax rep. Street Address
Kevin Kasha
c/o Miramax Films
8439 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90069
Buena Vista Street Address
The Walt Disney Company
Attn: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521
Reply
9-15-2005 @ 5:18AM
Kent said...
I love Micheal Moore and will DEFINITELY see his new film (it will come out, believe me, somebody will take the "risk"). But I am not sure that I fundamentally disagree with Disney's "decision" to not distribute the picture. Actually I find their decision to greenlight it in the first place much more difficult to understand. Michael Moore is always the same: in his "Bowling For Columbine," which I truly thought deserved a nomination for the academy award for Best Picture last year, in his television show (cancelled) called, if I recall correctly, "the Naked Truth," and in all of his other work in print and on camera and radio. He is a very pointed leftist idealogue; and I say that even though I agree with almost everything that comes out of his mouth. The fact of the matter is, however, that Disney is an "entertainment" company (primarily, I know they swallowed Cap Cities a while back, but let's face it, that's still at most "info-tainment." If you want NEWS, I'd recommend you turn elsewhere despite the habits of "more americans...") As an entertainment company they have to manage their brand and their brand is not about Michael Moore. It's just not. It doesn't make any sense for them to distribute this -- thus my question why they ponied the 6M in the first place, though I suppose that was just savvy business by Messrs. Weinstein, knowing they could get some decent change for it on the open market if Disney didn't distribute.
Don't get me wrong, I am as concerned as anybody about the corporatization of American politics, and the media's complicity in this is nothing short of horrifying. I just tend to think that Disney is the least of our concerns in this arena. Consider this: NBC has made it clear to other media outlets (namely Washington Post) that they have videos from the Iraq prisoner abuse scandal and CBS has claimed to still have some photos it has not released. Now the fact that CBS HELD A STORY FOR several weeks at the request of the Pentagon is horrifying enough, but if you add to the reticence of these "news" organization the question of the conflict of interest which is generated by their WEAPON PRODUCING SUBSIDIARIES or PARENT CORPORATIONS (e.g. General Electric) the story becomes, if you'll excuse me, NUCLEAR. The Pentagon does business on the order of BILLIONS with these weapon manufacturers and then makes "sidebar" agreements to keep news stories off the air either temporarily or PERMANENTLY in many cases. (Who will ever know the stories we DON'T learn.) And the newspapers and all of the other media organizations are in similar, if not the same, boats.
An outstanding (if somewhat superficial) DOCUMENTARY by the Hudson Mohawk Independent Media Center (www.hm.indymedia.org) based on a speech given by Amy Goodman of Democracy Now. It is entitled "Independent Media in a Time of War" and (ironically?) opens with Michael Moore calling for the removal of all US troops from the television networks. The too short film gives what I think is an interesting overview of merely a few of the problems associated with the corporatization of media in this country and in the world. The film is available for viewing on the web at: http://www.democracynow.org/static/IMIATOW.shtml
Note the discussion of the "torture rooms" which now has eerie overtones in light of recent relevations...
Reply
10-28-2005 @ 10:56PM
Mark said...
I agree with everything you said above. However, I never claimed Disney was the worst offender and my small piece was really just a brain dump upon hering the news. While I am not surprised by Disney's decision (they are still refusing to sell the ic back to the Weinsteins) I do think it's a wrong one. In a vacuum, of course!
Reply
9-15-2005 @ 5:18AM
Kent said...
I think we can agree to agree, then: Disney's not the worst offender, but offensive nonetheless!
A funny side note -- I saw a press blurb somewhere (hmm, can't remember exactly) that was actually spinning Moore's fight with Disney as his attempt (a la Mel Gibson) to garner free publicity for an upcoming opening... by creating a "false" controversy.
I guess we can file this in quasi-humorous attempts by media conglomerates to paint anybody who doesn't agree with them as simply envious!
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